Because of the itinerant nature of wild dogs, as well as their tendency to group together, a wild dog sighting for me has always been at the top of my predator-sightings list. Unless you have detailed information of denning dogs, the ability to see these magnificent animals seems more to do with luck than actually looking for them. If anyone knows how to improve the number of sightings in any given time period, please let me know as thirty years of trying has yielded only 21 sightings. There is no two ways about it - everything has to be done to save this stunning creature, and it is fully heartwarming to see how efficiently nature conservationists have formulated a strong and rapid intervention in the light of the recent tragedies. Thank you immensely to all who dedicate their lives to keeping our wildlife heritage alive! It is, in fact, nothing less than our sincere and heartfelt duty for everyone of us to donate funds to these efforts so that all may enjoy the fruits of these amazing people's work.

1. Check daily on Latest Sightings... you will notice there are pups on the S1 just west of S65 currently/same on H1-1 around Shitlave dam area... a huge pack around Orpen/H7 (I never find them ... lol)... and another big pack around Balule/Olifants... and the usual Skukuza/Phabeni/Berge en Dal/Crocodile Bridge packs (LS all dead)...

2. When you get to Kruger, check your SIGHTINGS BOARD for YESTERDAY AND TODAY... do this at the gate, at the camp, at every camp you stop at...

3. If wild dogs were on the H4-1 east of Skukuza yesterday, and were seen near the H11 today, then most likely they will be about 5-10 km further west on the S65/S1 or S3 or Delaport dam area on H1-1 tomorrow... FIRST check where they were seen TODAY... they usually sleep somewhere close by and get up 1 hour before sunset when it cools down....

4. ASK at picnic sites/ablutions/tour operators... people love telling you what they saw!

In December 2014 I spent 2 weeks in the south/centre of Kruger and saw over 100 wild dogs, some multiple sightings of the same pack at different places and times...In December 2015 I spent 2 weeks in the same area (both were in December, when dogs don't stay in one spot with a den anymore), not straining myself at all, and saw at least 50 wild dogs...In March 2016 I celebrated my 60th birthday by going from north to south in 10 days... NOTHING in the north, but during the 3 days in the south, I found about 20 dogs, including a mating couple at sunset in the road next to my car...

I agree with Friedrich,if I wanted to see Wild dogs in Kruger I would do my research and then concentrate on these chosen areas,especially the first 2 hours and last 2 hours of sunlight..The regular hotspots are,Orpen areaBalule crossroads,north of Satara.Around the Northern most Baobab and Sweni road.Anywhere around Skukuza and Berg en Dahl.But as has been said they can,and do,turn up anywhere.Good luck,Afriphile.

Friedrich, Afriphile, BB - thank you for the excellent information. I will certainly add a few of those spots to my list.

I've never been a fan of social-media sightings, but I feel that that is often the best way to find wild dogs. Many times the sightings are too far away, but if the dogs are sedentary, then it is often worth the effort to head that way. Dogs on the move can head in any direction and we've missed 'definite' sightings on several occasions because of this, sometimes arriving a minute or two after they've left.

We did have a lovely sighting from that S1 pack a year back - the dogs had been at the same spot the entire day and, as we arrived, the sun close to the horizon, the dogs chose that moment to up and begin their play sessions. I was impressed that day at how well the tourists behaved that day and thought if only all sightings could be like that.

The H7 pack I have only seen once - at the very spot BB sees them - but I have tried dozens of times driving that road up and down, and each time they have eluded us. It's sad that the Croc Bridge pack died recently - and that has been the pack I have probably seen the most - but the current vaccination drives from the conservation teams are very positive for the future of the dogs in Kruger.